The Price of Purification: Balancing Affordability, Resiliency, and Economic Benefits

Panel Moderator

Melanie Holmer
Global Reuse Principal
Jacobs

Melanie Holmer is a Global Reuse Principal at Jacobs with over 25 years of experience in the strategic planning, design, and construction of major water, wastewater, and water reuse projects for a total treatment capacity of over 1 billion gallons per day. Melanie focuses on potable reuse, advanced treatment technologies, regulatory and policy development, and research, including pilot and full-scale trials to support diverse water supply strategies.

Panelists

Anselmo Collins
Senior Assistant GM
Water System, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

Anselmo G. Collins is the Senior Assistant General Manager of the Water System for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). As one of the largest and most complex municipal water systems in the world, the Los Angeles Water System has an annual operating budget of $2 billion and serves high-quality drinking water to approximately 4 million people across a 472 square-mile area. Mr. Collins leads an organization of 2,500 employees.

Mr. Collins has over 32 years of experience with LADWP. His experience spans both engineering and managerial roles, involving planning, design, construction, project management, construction management, procurement, operations, and maintenance.

Mr. Collins received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from California State University, Northridge, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Pepperdine University. He is a registered Civil Engineer in the State of California.

Tamara Richardson
Utilities Director
FGUA

Bio to come.

Angel Bustamante
Operations Treatment Process Engineer
El Paso Water

Angel G. Bustamante graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso.  He is currently the Treatment Process Engineer in Operations for El Paso Water.  He is a registered Professional Engineer in the States of Texas and California and is a licensed water/wastewater operator with a Class A license in drinking water and a Class C license in wastewater treatment from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Nazario Prieto
Assistant Water Services Director
City of Phoenix Water Services Division

Nazario Prieto is the Assistant Water Services Director for the City of Phoenix, overseeing one of the nation's largest municipal wastewater utilities and leading the Pure Water Phoenix project, which aims to convert highly treated wastewater into a sustainable drinking water supply. With over 19 years at the City, Nazario has advanced Phoenix's leadership in Advanced Water Purification and circular water reuse systems. He began his career as a civil engineer and has held various technical and leadership roles, including Deputy Water Services Director. Before joining the City, he worked for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Nazario holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso, where his passion for water management began. Raised in Mexico, his experiences with water scarcity have driven his commitment to sustainable water systems and public education.